The present embodiments relate to visualizing an instrument path. In particular, a path is provided to guide instrument insertion into an internal region of a patient.
Instrument guidance using real-time ultrasound imaging is a common practice. For example, needle biopsy procedures are performed using ultrasound images to indicate the location of the needle relative to a target. Conventional B-mode imaging is utilized to track the needle to an anatomically defined target. However, grayscale anatomical information only provides some of the information needed to optimally guide an instrument into biological tissue. For example, while two regions of tissue may appear identical using B-mode imaging, their stiffness may vary. In general, very stiff tissue may result in instrument bending, deviating from more simple straight line navigation. Another example is tissue with vascular components. In general, vascular structures should not intersect the insertion path to avoid compromise of the vascular structure by the instrument.